Electric switch



H. C. DQANE ELECTRIC SWITCH Jul-y 14, 1931. v

Filed June l5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ju1y14,1931. .H QDOAN 1,814,245

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed June 13. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY C. DOAN, F FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB T0 GENERAL MOTORS CORPORA- TION, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE` ELECTRIC SWITCH Application led .Tune 13, 1927. Serial No. 198,339.

This invention relates to electric switches and particularly to electric switches for controlling electrical signalling devices for automotive vehicles.

l One application of the present invention is the control of an electric circuit including the stop lamp at the rear end of an automobile. yHeretofore, when the requirement yhas been to cause the lamp to burn when the brakes are applied or when the transmission gearing is thrown into reverse so that the road at the rear of the vehicle will be illuminated while backing, the practice has been to use separate switches in the stop lamp circuit, the switches being controlled respectively by the brake pedal and by the transmission gear shift lever. One object of the present invention is to provide a single switch structure adapted to be operated either by the brake pedal or by the transmission gear shift lever for controlling a vehicle signalling device such as a stop and back-up lamp at the rear of the vehicle.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawin s:

Fig. l is a iagrammatic fragmentary plan view of an automobile chassis showing a switch constructed in accordance with the present invention and the mechanism for operating it.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the switch operating mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a yplan view on a larger scale of the switch showing its mounting upon the transmission gear housing.

` Fig. 4 is a side view thereof looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Figs. Gand 7 are sectional views taken respectively on the lines 6-6 and 7--7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9-is a detailed view of a non-conducting` contact carrying element.

' ig. l() is a detailed view of a reinforcing element therefor.,

Referring first to Figs. 3 `to 8 inclusive the switch comprises a boX like case 20 provided with a cover 2l which is fixed to the case by the bent tangs 22 projecting from the marginal edge of the case. The case 20 insulatingly supports terminal rivets 23 which are ta ped to receive terminal screws 24 and whic secure in position as shown in Figs. 'and 7 the bases 25 of contact members 26 eachformed of resilient sheet material. Each blade 26 Vis provided with an arcuate portion 27 concentric with a shaft 28 which is mounted in bearings 29 and 30 provided by the switch case as shown clearly 1n Fig. 6.

The shaft 28 is provided with splines 31 which are driven through a contact carrier 32 of non-conducting material. The carrier 32. is provided with a hole 33 for receiving the shaft 28, said hole 33 including notches 34 for receiving the splines 31. In order to reinforce the driving connection between the shaft 28 and the contact carrier 32 there is provided a plate 35 of sheet metal having a central opening 36 of the ysame shape as the o ening 33 of the contact carrier 32. The p ate 35 is provided with ears 37 which are bent into notches 38 provided by the contact carrier 32. Thus the shaft 28 may drive the contact carrier 32 either directly through the splines 31 or indirectly through the plate 35. The carrier 32 carries a movable contact 39 in the form of a double headed rivet, each head of which is adapted to engage one of the spring conductors 27. The contact 39 is maintained normally out of engagement with the conductors 27 by a spring 40 having two coils 41 surrounding the shaft 28 and connected by a loop 42 which extends into a notch 43 provided by the contact carrier 32. The spring 40 is biased so that it tends to produce counterclockwise rotation of the carrier 32 as viewed in Fig. 5. Consequently the ends 44 of the spring 40 tend to move in a clockwise direction. The ends 44 are retained in the position shown by the cover 21.

Shaft 28 is operated bythe brake pedal of a vehicle in a manner to be described. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 50 designates an automobile chassis including side frames, one of which is shown at 51, resting upon vehicle axles, the rear one of which is Shown at 52. The frame 51 supports a transmission gear' ht'ius'i'g 53 providing 'a y stub vshaft 54 for supporting' Ya brake pedal 55. 'The pedal 55 hasa lever arm 56 connected by link 57 with an arm 58 connected with a rod 59 which is pivotally su `ported by bearings in each side frame, t e bearing provided bythe frame 51 being shown at V61. The rod 59 isconnectedin any suitable manner with the road wheel brakes of the vehicle, for example, a link 62 connects the arm l58 with a lever` 63'. 'attached to a shaft 64 for controlling the brake of the vehicle wheel 60. The rod 59is connected rby a clamp ,70 with a link 71 attached toy ai lever 72 which is pivotcd upon the shaft 28 but is not directly 'connected with it. The lever 72- includes an odset pertionl adaptedto 4engage va leverr` 74 which is attachedlr-to'the shaft. 28.y It is obvious that if the pedal i'is depressed, the rod 59 `will be rotated in a clockwise direction causing its crank arm portion 59a, shown in Fig. 2,- to move toward the left of the drawings Y Therefore the lever 7 2 will bemoved in a clockwise direction and will cause the shaft 28'to' move the contact Y39 into engagement wlthth-e contoets 27.` .These contacts are' so arranged Vthat a slight depression of thepedal will vcause an electric circuit to be made byV the.

switch and thisl cifrcuitl'to .be maintained closedduring further downward movement of the brake pedal.- Ths movement may lcoatiru'ie until a. stepf75 provided by the lever 72'strik'esthe edge 76of a bracket' 77 which is .used'to supporty .theY switch case uponthe'covermofthe'y transmission gear yhousing 53. Thefcireuit which r'is closed-'by the switch comprises a battery gufounded at 81 upon thevehicle frame rand'- connectedfby Vwire 82k lwith one. of thm-switch ter- Jninalsf The other' switch terminal is cohneeted by wiredwith a connector socket ,84 of the rear end lamp 85. .This vcoimector socket 84 i's connected witha lamp for illuminating a stop signal and also ifor illuminati the rear of the vehicle. The return ciroun for thelampis provided bya ground connection 86. As the stop signal lamp 85 usually cari-ies' the ta11amp, an electric eireuit forties lamp is provided by' the battery 80,11 wire 87' leadingfrom the' battery'to: a dash switch 88 connected Iby a'wire 89 with a lamp connector socket 9o which provides an eletrical connection' with the ta-il' lamp bulb, not shown. but grounded at 86:k Y

When the Vpedal 55 is released it will be ,111 'which'isjengaged the .transmission `gear shift lever `112 when" it is `desi-red to throw the gearing into re` verse. This act will causey the plate'109to returned to normal position as shown in any sulta-ble manner by sprlngs, not shown,

.thereby permitting the lever 72 to return to the position shown in Fig. 4 in which a ystop lug 91 provided by it may strike the lwhen the transmission gearing is thrown into reverse comprises a lever attached to" the, shaft 2s and havin-g an ear '1er lo;

cated inthe path of movemeitof a plunger 102 guided by the transmission gear housing 23. A spring 103 located between a rear wall104rof the housing 53 and the head 105 of the plunger 102 urgesV the plunger away from the lever 100- nd into engagement with a head 106 ofv a plunger 107 which'is guided by a bracket 108 provided by the transmission gear housing. The plunger 107 isV loca-ted in the path of movement. of la plate 109 which is supported byy arod 110l and also guided by the bracket 108. Theplate 109 is provided with a notch Vmove toward the left asviewled in FigA -8 lso as tp transmit motionthro'ugh the plunglers 107 and 102 to the' ear 101 of the .lever 100: Consequently the shaft 2.18 will be rotated clockwise as viewed in Figs.y 4 and 5 and the. switch will be closed so that the stop and back-up lamp will burn. Wren the gear shift lever is moved to threw they gearing out of reverse position, the. plate 109. will .move awa-y'froni the plunger 107 siiciently to permit the spring` 103 to move the plunger 101 to the posit on shown in Fig.v 3. This action will permit the spring 40 toy restore the shaft 2S tothe position shown in the drawings whereupon the circuitgvwill he opened..y c

While the formy of embodiment of the present invention as herein' disclosed, oonstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might-'bende (d,

which follow.; l

lVhat is claimed is as follows:

v1.` Apparatus for controlling a vehicle lamp comprisingin combination, an eloc- -trie switch having a, movable operating memberincluding a rotary 'shaft havingsa non-conducting means o @rated by the brake actuator ofthe vehicle ormovng said switch member, and means, operated by the transmission. 'ar Shift lever formov'ing' said swtehjmem er.

2. The combination with a vehicle having shiftable transmission 'gearingand `heusn therefor, and brake mechanism, ois-'mno mounted upon the transmission housigmd having a rotary shalt carryinglevers, an endwise movable rod actuated by the shiftcontact lcarrier thereon,

by the lower end of `all coming within thescope of the-.e mis ing lever of the transmission gearing for engaging one of the levers to rotate the switch shaft, and means operated by the brake mechanism for rotating the switch shaft.

The combination with a vehicle having a brake mechanism, and a transmission gear housing containing gear shifting mechanism, of a switch having a case supported by the gear housing and a movable switch operating member supported by the case, said switch operating member comprising a rotary shaft with bearings in the said case and having levers attached to the ends of the shaft exterior of the case, and also having a non-conducting Contact carrier intermediate its ends and Within said case, means operated by the gear shifting mechanism for moving the switch operating member, and means operated by the brake mechanism for moving the switch operating member.

4. The combination with a vehicle having a brake mechanism and a transmission gear housing containing gear shifting mechanism7 of a switch having a case supported by the gear housing and a rotary sha t supported by the case and extending beyond opposite sides thereof, a lever attached to each end of the shaft, separate devices respectively engageable with said levers and respectively actuated by the gear shifting mechanism and by the brake mechanism for rotating the shaft into circuit-closing position, and resilient means for urging the shaft into circuit-open position.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

HARRY C. DOANE. 

